News from February 19.

All-Star Saturday Night results

Shooting Stars  (must make shot from 6 spots on court in shortest time)
1st round (top 2 advance)
  Texas (Dirk Nowitzki, Kenny Smith, Roneeka Hodges)      0:31.8
  Atlanta (Al Horford, Steve Smith, Coco Miller)          0:47.6
  Los Angeles  (Pau Gasol, Rick Fox, Tina Thompson)       0:55.8
  Chicago (Taj Gibson, Steve Kerr, Cathrine Kraayveld)    1:06

Finals
  Atl  1:10
  TX   1:18  [shot 2nd, stopped after known they lost]


Skills Competition (obstacle course dribbling, shooting, passing; timed
event)
1st round (top 2 advance)
  Russell Westbrook (OKC) 30.0 seconds
  Stephen Curry (GS)      34.1 seconds
  Derrick Rose (Chi)      35.7 seconds
  John Wall (Was)         39.3 seconds
  Chris Paul (NO)         42.7 seconds

Finals
  Stephen Curry (GS)      28.2 seconds
  Russell Westbrook (OKC) 44.2 seconds


3-point Shootout (5 racks of 5 balls - 4 worth 1 point, 1 worth 2 points)
1st Round  (top 3 advance)
  Ray Allen (Bos)            20
  James Jones (Mia)          15
  Paul Pierce (Bos)          12
  Dorell Wright (GS)         11
  Daniel Gibson (Cle)         7
  Kevin Durant (OKC)          6

Finals
  James Jones (Mia)          20
  Paul Pierce (Bos)          18
  Ray Allen (Bos)            15


Slam Dunk Contest (2 dunks each round)
[you try until you make one for 2 minutes, then 2 attempts to make 1]
1st Round  (top 2 advance)
  (score=total, 5 judges give points)
  JaVale McGee (Was)     50a 49b = 99
  Blake Griffin (LAC)    49c 46  = 95
  Demar DeRozan (Tor)    44  50d = 94
  Serge Ibaka (OKC)      45e 45  = 90
a) 2 hoops side-by-side, coming from baseline, 2 balls dunked at once
b) dunked 3 balls (2 in hand, 3rd teammate tossed)
c) 360 spin then two-hand power slam
d) lob bounce off floor then one-hand reverse slam
e) free throw line jump dunk (actually behind line, should have been 50)
  

Finals (2 dunks, fan voting (text messaging))
  Blake Griffin (LAC)   68%
  JaVale McGee (Was)    32%

Griffin 
  1st dunk: lob off glass then one-hand slam, elbow hanging on rim
  2nd dunk: dunk over a car (showmanship great, dunk actually not one of
            the better ones of the night)

McGee
  1st dunk: impressive reverse one-handed cradle dunk
  2nd dunk: lob off glass, one-hand slam

[very entertaining dunk contest]


Schedule for Sunday, February 20  (All times Central)
  NBA Legends Brunch               2:00 pm  NBATV
  All-Star Game                    7:30 pm  TNT

Schedule for Monday, February 21  (All times Central)
  No games scheduled


----
  Patricia Bender                       pbender@eskimo.com
  For Trianglons puzzles: http://www.trianglons.com
  For NBA stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/index.html
  For Mavs stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/mavs.html